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It’s a miscellany Tuesday, people!

I have a more wordy post that’s almost all ready to go, but it really needs an illustrative picture or two. Since I’m lacking that specific picture, we’ll have a picture-filled miscellany post instead.

Oh, the joys of shopping at Goodwill

Goodwill shopping is probably not the most efficient frugal thing I do.

I could theoretically spend that time doing some other frugal activity, like playing the drugstore game, clipping coupons, or hitting multiple grocery stores to buy loss leaders.

But the thing about Goodwill shopping is that we all have so much fun doing it.

I like the thrill of the bargain hunt, and my children always find things to entertain themselves with.

So, I think the hour or so we spend at Goodwill every other week is totally worth it.

Frugality is such an individual thing, and I think you need to make it work for you. If you love playing the drugstore game but hate baking bread, then roll with it. If yard-saleing is super fun, but hanging your laundry out makes you want to cry, throw your clothes into the dryer and head out to the sales.

Of course, some frugal things are necessary even if they’re not fun, but if you can make frugality enjoyable at least some of the time, you’re going to be much more likely to stick with it.

We’re keeping one oak log

There’s such a disparity in height between the tallest zip line rider and the shortest, we had to err on the tall side when we installed it. This meant that Sonia and Zoe needed help getting off of the line.

Until now, that is.

Even though Joshua and Lisey didn’t exactly need a landing spot, the log makes their dismounts a whole lot smoother.

I suppose this is an awfully expensive way to obtain a landing platform, but since the tree had to come down anyway, we’re glad we could think of a way to make one of the logs useful.

In case you think my children are perfect

On Sunday morning before we went to church, I wanted to take a picture of Sonia in her hat, and Zoe wanted to be in a picture too.

Sonia was less than pleased with this idea.

It probably shouldn’t, but this picture makes me laugh.

As is usually the case, though, the sisterly squabble blew over quickly.

Visiting Grandma

After church on Sunday, we went to visit Mr. FG’s grandma, something we’ve been doing on a more regular basis this past year.

She lives in a pretty gorgeous waterfront condo. I plan to retire here. 😉

We don’t make the drive for the waterfront views, though. No, we do it for the company.

And we do it because a simple visit from us seems to bring her so much joy. We bring a meal to share with her and a bag of games (she always seems to beat us at Chinese Checkers, although I am proud to report that I tied with her this time!).

The kids always enjoy looking at her collections (especially the elephant collections), and I think she enjoys retelling the stories of how she found each one.

These visits are always a good reminder that things don’t have to be fancy or complicated or expensive to be meaningful…when it comes down to it, spending quality time with people is what really brings blessing and happiness to them.

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I’m regrettably late in informing you all (though I did inform the winner promptly!), but Molly McC. is the winner of the $100 SpaFinder gift card from my Oil of Olay review. Congrats Molly!

Don’t forget that my Libman Freedom Mop review and giveaway is still going on, though, so go enter if you haven’t. A $100 Visa gift card is the prize!

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Today’s 365 post: A forecast full of 80s

Joshua’s 365 post: The pieces we kept from our oak tree (the kids kept some pieces other than the zip line landing stump)

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Lilypad

Saturday 18th of June 2011

I also loved seeing the photos of the kids with Mr. FG's grandma. I used to visit my grandma in her retirement home all the time, she just loved to go out for a "fancy" (Denny's type!) meal. I miss her so much now. She's been gone 15 years and it still brings tears to my eyes every time I think of how much her unconditional love meant to me. (My parents and sibling and I had/have much more tumultuous relationships!) Good for you for keeping up with her and making sure your kids will always remember their time spent with their great-grandmother.

WilliamB

Tuesday 24th of May 2011

When I was in grad school, whenever my friends and I went out for dimsum we'd invite her tp join us. She liked getting out, being surrounded by lively young things being lively, and a change of environment. She didn't like dimsum but Chinese restaurants tend to be very accomodating of the elderly; they'd make her a simple noodle dish and give her a fork to eat it with. (I was also aware that being invited out by a grandchild - frequently, too! - increased her social standing at her retirement home, a bonus from my perspective.)

Sarah

Tuesday 24th of May 2011

What great photos and a what a wonderful Grandma. That area looks splendid. Wow.

Sharon Berg

Tuesday 24th of May 2011

One of my FB friends posted your article on making yogurt and is in the process of making some. And I bragged (a little) that you are my cousin's wife and how awesome you are. She agreed and thought that was so cool that she knows someone on FB with a family connection to the Frugal Girl.

Kristen

Tuesday 24th of May 2011

Oh, that's funny! lol I feel like such a celebrity now.

Cheryl

Tuesday 24th of May 2011

Your children are beautiful. Just be careful buying at goodwill though. I was on another site and a woman got bedbugs from her daughter working at a goodwill. She had to pay alot of money to have them removed. Makes me not want to shop there.

Kristen

Tuesday 24th of May 2011

I always thoroughly wash and dry any clothing we buy from there, and I wouldn't buy a mattress or some other similar item that couldn't be washed. :)

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